


Pleading His Belly

by rufus



Series: Pleading His Belly 'verse [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-09
Updated: 2013-03-09
Packaged: 2017-12-04 17:29:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/713241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rufus/pseuds/rufus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Originally written somewhere around 2006/2007 for Scribbulus_ink for her birthday and as a thank-you for modding a Snupin Santa exchange.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Pleading His Belly

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written somewhere around 2006/2007 for Scribbulus_ink for her birthday and as a thank-you for modding a Snupin Santa exchange.

"He's just down here, sir," the guard said, waving his wand at the door, and Remus noticed his knuckles were white. "The guv'nor said he wasn't to go with the other lads, and the lasses wouldn't have him neither. Can't say as I blame 'em. 's _unnatural_ , is what it is," he muttered, and set off down the candle-lit corridor.

"I see," Remus murmured, noting the deep gouges on the walls ( _mountain trolls_ ), the heavy silver chains ( _werewolves_ ) in several of the cells and the bunches of garlic ( _vampires_ ) woven through the bars of others. He paused for a moment, to fix it all firmly in his memory, and then made his way to the end of the line of cells.

"Oi, you, look lively now, there's a gentleman here to collect you," the guard shouted, and Remus stifled a snort at the "gentleman." "Right, mind you keep a good grip on your wand, he's a sneaky one." 

The cell door popped open with a faint _click._ The guard tapped the bars and a second bank of candles flared up, illuminating the cell, and the dark-haired man within it. He was mostly naked, and sitting on the narrow bed, head bowed, his hands clasped over the tremendous swell of his stomach. 

"Thank you, Mister –?" Remus let his voice trail off, already unbuttoning his cloak, and took a few more steps into the cell. It smelled strongly of unwashed bodies and rotting food, and the air was cold and damp. _No wonder Minerva needed a stiff drink when she got back,_ he thought, and shuddered.

"Scroggins, sir, Eddie Scroggins. If he takes any liberties, give us a shout and I'll sort him out," the guard replied, with a note of pleasure in his voice that made Remus' stomach turn over and his fingers itch with the desire to break his nose. Remus took a deep breath, shrugged his cloak off and moved to stand in front of the prisoner. _He looks like he's about to pop_ , he thought, his gaze moving from the angry red stretchmarks that were only partially obscured by Snape's arms to his pale shoulders and the matted disaster that was his hair.

"Severus?" Remus said, quietly; he got no response. "Your request for clemency has been granted. Your sentence has been commuted to time served and ten years of probation. I, er, have the official document in my pocket. I've come to take you ho – away from here. I'm going to put my cloak around you now, all right?" Remus paused again, listening, but the only sound was Snape's even breathing. "Might be a bit scratchy, but at least it's clean and dry," he muttered, and settled the heavy fabric around Snape's knobbly shoulders. 

"I find a good solid stinging hex gets his attention, sometimes, when he's being a wee balky sod," Scroggins opined from the corridor. "I aim for the hands, usually, but the feet are good if you want him to move." 

"I don't think that will be necessary today," Remus said, and curled his hands into the sleeves of his jumper to avoid banging Scroggins' head against a wall. Snape, he noticed, had turned his head to one side seemed to be sniffing the cloak. Remus took a step backwards and shook his wand loose from his sleeve, just in _case._

"Or you could try a quick pinching jinx, my mate Alfie who works upstairs swears by those, he does," Scroggins continued, just as Snape finally raised his head. _Oh, Severus_ , Remus thought, taking in the black eye and numerous cuts and scrapes. Snape's lips curved up slightly at the edges, and he shrugged one shoulder before locking eyes with Remus and shoving his way past his defenses. 

Remus pushed down the urge to throw him out and held still as Snape riffled through his memories. He watched Fleur Weasley bake a soufflé while Molly looked on, followed by Luna rocking her eldest son to sleep while Harry dozed in the chair next to her, and smiled in spite of himself. Snape made a noise that might have been a snort, and the years whipped by in a blur, until he was twenty and James Potter was rippling into a stag in the middle of a snowy wood. He felt rather than heard Snape's grunt of satisfaction, and then someone ( _Snape?_ ) was holding his elbow, steadying him while he closed his eyes and let the smells and sounds of the holding cells ground him in the present.

"Oi, what're you about?" Scroggins called, his voice cracking slightly, and Remus felt cold, dry fingers curl around his and squeeze gently, as he opened his eyes and turned around, grateful to have been recognized. 

"I believe we're nearly ready to leave, Scroggins. Perhaps you could see if you could locate some decent boots for Mr. Snape while I take care of the paperwork," he managed, turning back to Snape long enough to fasten the clasps on the cloak. There was no disguising his condition, but, well, at least he was decently covered. Scroggins harrumphed into the collar of his robes, but made no other comment as he led them out to the main desk.

**

"He's very near his time, Minerva, and the state he's in, he really shouldn't be on his own," Poppy said, a thread of worry in her voice, and Remus tugged a second packet of biscuits out of the cupboard. After leaving the Ministry, he had brought Snape to his own small house, since it was Unplottable, and he lived far enough from the village that his only neighbors were a pair of elderly Holsteins. He had fed Snape a bowl of chicken broth, helped him to bathe and dress, and settled him in the guest room before fire-calling Poppy and Minerva. 

"Mmmm. Did he say who . . . fathered the child?" Minerva asked, amid clinking cups and saucers, and there was a long silence. Remus rested his head against the sharp edge of the cupboard and tried to make his mind blank. Rumors had been flying around the Wizarding world ever since Snape had stood up in the dock and made a plea for clemency that ended with the disappearance of all of his clothes. His belly had been smaller, then, easier to write off, but a Healer had come out of the crowd and confirmed Snape's claim: he was pregnant. 

_It's the Dark Lord's get,_ some people said, though Voldemort had been dead and burned for a full year. _Lucius Malfoy_ , murmured others, shaking their heads and giving Narcissa pitying looks; the _Prophet,_ for their part, had settled on Rabastan Lestrange. The _Quibbler_ , their enthusiasm for scandal perhaps blunted by the death of Lionel Lovegood, had remained silent.

"You know I can't tell you, even if he did," Poppy said, her voice turning sharp, and Remus had a feeling Minerva pulled a face at her. Remus waved a hunk of cheese onto the tray and walked out into the sitting room. Both of them turned to look at him, wearing matching concerned expressions, and he fought the urge to hunch his shoulders. 

People had been talking about him, as well, he knew, and worse, owling him scented letters and pictures of their eligible daughters. He didn't like living alone, but he'd gotten used to it. _I go out,_ he thought, floating the biscuits over to the table. _I see the Weasleys, and Harry. I have lunch with Tonks once a week. I'm fine as I am._

"He can stay here until the baby comes, at least, there's plenty of room, and I'm home most of the day," he said after a while, nudging the sugar bowl aside with his wand, and Poppy made a relieved noise. 

"Thank you, Remus," Minerva murmured, peering at him over the top of her glasses in a way that made him feel fourteen all over again. "I can send Winky down to help, if you'd like."

"All right," he murmured, and then the conversation moved on to other, more mundane things.

**

**Home Visit Report**

**Practicioner:** Poppy Pomfrey, Head Nurse, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Associate Head, Pediatrics Division, St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries  
 **Date:** 12th December, 1998  
 **Location:** Gladiola House, Isle of Wight  
 **Time:** Approx 3 AM

Patients seen:

 **Snape, Severus** (38). Pre-existing conditions: mild dehydration and malnutrition, pregnancy (see records of Department of Magical Law Enforcement for additional details). Acc. by Remus Lupin (38, lycanthrope, householder), Minerva McGonagall (73, Headmistress, HSWW) and Winky (200, nursery elf). Patient presented conscious but in a state of agitation; reported that his water had broken and that he was experiencing contractions approx. every five minutes. Examination revealed cervix dilated to 8 CM. Patient refused removal to St. Mungo's; transferred patient to birthing chair (transfigured by MM) for remainder of the consultation. Crowning occurred at approx 4 AM; delivery at 4:15. Afterbirth delivered at 4:45 AM. Administered 1 vial blood replenishing potion, two vials nutrative potion, 1 vial infusion of willow bark. Patient transferred to bed and proscribed three days bed rest.

 **Snape, Athena** (newborn) Delivered 4:15 AM. Weight: 6 lbs 8 oz. APGAR: 8 Bathed patient and administered 1 bottle of Mother Carey's Finest Formula. Released to Winky (nursery elf) for further care; transferred to cradle next to her father.

 **Lupin, Remus** (38) Pre-existing conditions: lycanthropy, arthritis. Patient presented in a state of mild agitation, with broken fingers (both hands) and bruising on forearms. Administered 1 vial of Bone-Set Potion, 1 vial Calming Draught and applied Bruise-Ease. Released patient to own bed.

**

"Lupin," Snape said, his voice low and rough. "Lupin!" Remus snapped awake and pushed himself up on his elbows in the darkness, one hand already reaching for his wand. Poppy had sent him to his own bed, but he had snuck back in here after she left, just in _case_ –

"Poppy said I – hurt you," Snape murmured, and Remus blinked, absorbing that information, before lying back down on the pillows. He felt the bed dip as Snape shifted next to him, and rolled to face him.

"Nothing that couldn't be mended," he said, yawning. "Not like y'meant to. Least y'didn't hex m'cock off. G'sleep, Severus." 

"All right," Snape said, and there was silence again. Remus listened to the birds chirping and Winky singing in the kitchen for a while, only vaguely aware of the ache in his fingers and knees.

"I – we – could remove to –" Snape began, and paused, his breathing hitching a little. R _emove to where? A smoking ruin? A drafty castle in the middle of winter?_ Remus thought, as he rubbed his eyes and sighed.

"Athena is sleeping in my father's cradle," Remus said, "which has never left this house, and never will." He yawned again. "Baby needs a good bed. Go to _sleep_ , Severus." The bed dipped again, and then Remus felt cold, dry fingers curl around his own and squeeze gently. He squeezed back, glad Snape couldn't see him smiling in the darkness, and fell asleep.


End file.
